Antonio Banderas says aging women are criticized unfairly by society and Hollywood when compared to men

We live in a patriarchal society that dictates every part of our lives, especially for women. Beauty is one aspect that is still standardized according to misogynistic ideals, which puts a great pressure on women. The Mask of Zorro actor, Antonio Banderas, recently highlighted the ridiculous beauty standards older women are subjected to, not just in Hollywood but all over the world, per HuffPost.

Banderas, 62, said in a recent interview with the UK's Press Association, "I try to be as natural as possible. I understand though, especially [for] women, the tremendous pressure that they receive in a place like Hollywood, where thousands of new girls arrive every year all fresh and new, and when you're getting to a certain age, they can feel the push of these things." The actor believes that when it comes to getting older, guys have it easier than women, and not only because of Hollywood. He said, "It's more cruel unfortunately for women than men. There's a social convention that allows men to grow older and not be so criticized and pushed about beauty, and for women it's different. It's ridiculous, but that's the way that we created image around ourselves."

Despite industry pressures, he has already come out against cosmetic surgery, stating that it is simply not for him. Banderas told Telegraph in 2011, "I think everybody can do what they want to do but I am starting to like grey hair and wrinkles and find them interesting." Banderas appears to have embraced his age and is still making films, such as The Spongebob Movie. His ex-wife Melanie Griffith too had expressed her resentment on the challenge of finding good movie roles in her 50s. In a 2013 interview she said, "It is what I never thought would happen when I was in my 20s and 30s, hearing actresses bitch about not getting any work when they turned 50. Now I understand it, it is just different." 

Several people have spoken against the beauty standards that exist in the society for women. Ashley Graham, a supermodel is a body acceptance icon and an advocate of size inclusivity in fashion. By refusing to have her photographs altered or retouched, she encourages acceptance of individuals of all shapes and sizes. The model started the social media campaign when a Twitter user named Sameera Khan tweeted two photographs of Graham in a since-deleted message that read, "The fat positivity movement is out of hand." One of the photos allegedly showed Graham wearing glittering, high-heeled boots and a short, open-sided metallic dress similar to the one she wore in the images published in response to Khan's tweet. 

Graham's followers reacted positively to her tweet by uploading countless photographs of themselves praising their bodies. Graham has advocated for body acceptance throughout her career, encouraging her fans to be confident regardless of their size. In 2020, the model stated that she will continue to talk about body image for "the rest of my life." Despite lashback, celebrities have raised awareness towards body acceptance for women and highlighted it's importance in a world that forces women to follow certain standards.